GUWAHATI, Feb 15 � As the issue of alleged deprivation of candidates from the North East for recruitment in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has intensified in recent days, the NFR (Northeast Frontier Railway) unit of the All India RPF (Railway Protection Force) Association has demanded that the height-related norms for selection of constables and Sub-Inspectors for the force be revised to ensure that there is no discrimination against youths from this region.
A senior office-bearer of the Association said that it has been demanding scrapping of the Standing Order No.85 of DG/RPF, which commits injustice against the youths of NE region in the matter of their selection in RPF.
�This order was brought illegally some years ago by the then Director General of RPF. This has led to serious discrimination against candidates from the North East who applied for jobs in RPF,� said the official.
He said that North Easterners are usually of shorter height than people of States like Punjab, Haryana, MP, UP or Bihar.
�Rule 47 of the RPF Rule 1987 prescribes minimum 165-cm height for eligibility of youth to be selected as constables and Sub-Inspectors in the RPF. But the Standing Order No.85 of DG/RPF provides that if a male candidate appearing for selection as constable of RPF is of 178-cm height, he may get three marks as bonus. Similarly, if a female candidate appearing for selection as constable in RPF is of 165-cm height, she may get three marks as bonus,� said the Association office-bearer.
